Alone in the Dark
by CSouth
Summary: A divergent Twilight story, beginning with the showdown at the ballet studio. Lost and alone, Bella must find the strength to reconcile the two halves of herself, in order to reunite with her only love. A tale of action, romance, humour and intrigue.
1. Chapter 1 The End

Foreword: This is my first attempt at creative writing, so please review to tell me what you think. All criticism is welcome.  
The current plan is to do 5 chapters each of Bella PoV and Edward PoV, before combining to finish the story in however many more it takes.

As always, all recognizable characters are property of Stephanie Meyer, as are a few select lines of dialogue. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

**Book One - Bella**

**Chapter 1 – The End**

My scream reverberated off the mirrored walls with an intensity that I didn't realize I was capable of. It was alien to me, as if I was merely an onlooker, completely detached from the terror that permeated my mind. But even the sudden shock of my own harrowing cry couldn't mask the wave of pain that surged up my leg.

"Would you like to rethink your last request?" he asked mockingly, in his deceptively smooth voice. I felt his cold fingers wrap around the soft lump that should have been my tibia, and I couldn't help but cry out in pain. "Wouldn't you rather have Edward try to find me?"

"No!" I whimpered. "No, Edward, don't―"I turned to face him. James' dark eyes were appraising me, a mixture of sadistic amusement and barely-controlled frenzy smouldering within the crimson orbs. I could see the conflict inside him, the battle between savouring his prey and the uncontrollable bloodlust brought on by his thirst.

I closed my eyes firmly. _Please, end it quickly_, I thought to myself. I tried to put my mind elsewhere, to focus on the people I was protecting by bringing myself to this place, the ballet studio that was to be my crypt. I thought of my loving, albeit frequently unstable, mother; it had been my job to protect her, usually from herself, but I wasn't about to make an exception for murderous vampires. I meant what I had told James; I was glad that Renėe didn't have to be part of this, that she was nearly two thousand miles away, safely away from harm.

I thought of Charlie, my stoic father, who had been always uncomfortable expressing his love; he and I both knew he never really needed to. I was fairly sure that a gradual death by malnutrition in my absence was favourable to being torn apart by the hunter crouched menacingly above me. Then again, his version of cooking was pretty deadly...

I thought of the Cullens, my family in every sense of the word, each one willing to give their lives in order to protect mine, despite my clear objections to such devotion. Lying here, bracing myself for death, I realized that I felt the exact same way about them. Most importantly, I thought about...

I was instantly and violently ripped from my pleasant sanctuary by the searing pain in my arm. My eyes flew open to see James' cruel eyes staring back at me, his razor sharp teeth buried in the flesh of my forearm. Evidently, he had allowed the thirst to overtake his sadistic sense of pride. I felt my eyes begin to lose focus; a blanket of shadow was being pulled over my body. I tried feebly to remind myself that this was worth it, and that my loved ones were safe, but it became increasingly difficult as the agonizing sensation worked its way up my arm.

"Edward," I whispered to myself, "please forgive me. I love you."

As if answering the last words I would ever speak, there was a deafening crash, like the sound of two pickup trucks colliding at top speed. It might have hurt my ears if I hadn't already been saturated with as much pain as my body could understand. Some part of my brain registered the sudden absence of the sharp pain in my wrist, but it seemed insignificant in comparison to the torturous heat building in the rest of my arm.

I forced my eyes to open, but it was difficult to see in the dark haze that had settled over my senses. I couldn't even feel the floor beneath me, as if I were floating...

Wait, was I floating?

I narrowed my eyes in an attempt to make sense of my surroundings. My head lolled raggedly behind me, giving me an upside-down perspective of what appeared to be the ballet studio. I realized that I was being carried.

"Bella, can you hear me? Bella?!" The voice cut through the haze like a lightning bolt. It was the only voice I ever wanted to hear. I gathered enough strength to lift my head, to see the only face I ever wanted to see.

Even through the fading light of my consciousness, his perfect features were as clear to me as they had ever been before. I let a meagre smile grow across my lips. _Finally_, I thought to myself, _it's over. I can be with my angel where he belongs. Now if only this pain would be over with, I could..._ The pain. It was an unsubtle reminder of where I was; an anchor keeping me away from Heaven, from Edward.

"Bella, please, please say something," Edward begged, "let me know I wasn't too late."

He set me down gently on cold tiles, not the wooden panelling of the dance floor. I thought it must be the adjoining washroom.

"Ow." I said weakly, with all the effort I could muster.

"Stay here, Bella," he whispered to me, "He won't hurt you anymore. I won't let him." His eyes burned with anguish and fury as he gazed into mine. "You'll be safe here, I promise. I'll make you safe." His very presence was all the promise I needed. There were a million things I wanted to say to him, that I needed to tell him, not the least of which was _Sorry_, but my broken body just wouldn't cooperate. I could only hope that he could read the apology in my eyes.

It was clear that it took every ounce of his willpower to push open the door and leave me, if only for a moment, in order to fulfill his promise. The instant he left my sight, I was acutely aware of the burning agony that had been quietly spreading to my shoulder and chest, silenced momentarily by the tranquility of his face. The fire seemed to be making up for lost time, doubling in intensity, demanding my attention.

The noise that ensued from the adjacent dance floor was a flurry of crashes and roars, as if a second bull had entered the china shop looking for a fight. The sounds were far too rapid to make any sense of, and even through the crack at the bottom of the washroom door, I could only make out blurs of feet and piles of broken mirror.

The pain was relentless. It made my teeth clench, my fists tighten, and my entire body contort, further compounding the torture of my undoubtedly broken leg. I lay in the darkness, writhing in agony, trying desperately to focus on what was happening outside.

Abruptly, the sound of the melee stopped, signalled by a deep thud from the other room. I forced myself to turn my head, to look through the narrow opening at the base of the door. What I saw made my breath, my heart, my entire being freeze in an instant. There were no words to describe this kind of emptiness.

His amber eyes stared back at me from the floor of the studio, his expression vacant. His body lay unmoving, almost peaceful if not for the fact that his neck was wrenched at a terrifying angle.

No words to describe this.

I wanted to do everything and nothing at once, to melt away into the cold floor, which seemed warm compared to my frozen remains. The fiery pain that had moments ago threatened to consume me now seemed insignificant. My senses numbed into nothingness, and my consciousness drifted aimlessly.

* * *

I had no sense of how much time had passed. Hours, days, years, it didn't matter anymore. I was adrift in my very own tailor-made purgatory, only marginally aware of the voices emanating from the other room, yet I heard them with startling clarity.

"God damn, what in the hell happened here?" It was a deep tenor, an older man. "What kind of vandals go around trashing ballet studios?" He asked out loud.

"Oh man, this'll cost a fortune to fix. How did they tear up the floorboards so badly?" A young man's voice replied, high pitched, still an adolescent, "Think we'll get in trouble for this?"

"Hell, I'm not the night watchman, I just clean the place," answered the first, with clear indifference in his tone. "I'm gonna go see if anything else is busted up or missing. You'd better call the cops, and then the ballet mistress." He snickered audibly at the latter.

Footsteps echoed faintly nearby, but I didn't bother to call out for help. If the inferno that had now engulfed my entire body wasn't enough to overcome my apathy, then surely nothing would. I lay still, utterly disinterested in the sound of his approach.

The door swung open, followed by the flick of a light switch, flooding the washroom with fluorescent light. There was a loud gasp, and a string of profanity that might have shocked me on any other day.

"Alex, you got the cops on the line? You tell them we need an ambulance, kid. Right goddamn now!" he shouted gruffly, clearly panicked. My outwards appearance must have matched how wretched I felt inside. I couldn't really be bothered to summon any enthusiasm for a potential rescue, anyway.

In another fit of lethargy, I squeezed my eyelids shut, hoping against hope that I would die before the paramedics got to me. Is that really too much to ask, for the rest of me to disappear, along with my heart?


	2. Chapter 2 Awakening

**Chapter 2 - Awakening**

I was in the meadow, _our_ meadow. The sun shone radiantly down through a cloudless sky, bathing the clearing in a golden aura, giving it an appearance that could only be described as perfect. _Perfect, hah_. I used to think I knew what that meant, before I laid eyes on the creature lying next to me in this so-called perfect meadow. If this meadow was perfect, then I'd need a new word to describe Edward.

Edward looked sideways at me with a crooked grin; he never grew tired of the reaction, and I never grew tired of giving it.

My heart fluttered, and I felt my cheeks flush with familiar warmth, inciting a quiet chuckle from my admirer. He reached over to gently brush a strand of hair from my face, which didn't help to slow my heart.

"Is this it, then?" I questioned, after regaining my senses.

"I'm not sure what you mean, love." He replied in his most innocent velvet voice. His bemused expression remained unchanged.

The afterlife didn't seem to have improved my coordination, as I awkwardly propped my head up on one forearm, and draped the other across his flawless marble chest. "Did James," I shuddered quietly at the name, "I mean, are we dead?"

He let out a long, deep sigh, leaving the airy expression on his face unaltered. "Not quite, my love." He breathed, engulfing me in the sweet scent of honey and lilac that had left me intoxicated the moment I first took it in. "Are you disappointed?" He seemed mildly puzzled by my obvious frustration at his response.

"If it meant an eternity in this meadow, with you, then yes." I admitted despondently. I wondered to myself if he might be angry with me for saying so, knowing how hard he had worked to keep me alive.

He leaned over to kiss me behind my ear, sending shivers down the length of my body. "Any attempt to be mad at you, Bella, would be an exercise in futility," he whispered in my ear, responding to my unspoken concern, "particularly in your own dream."

I paused momentarily to consider that last word.

"Dream..." I mumbled, already sulking at the implications.

"I'm afraid so," he mused cheerfully, "and like so many before it, this one must also come to an end."

I pouted my lower lip in defiance.

"But I ―" I was silenced by the sudden sensation of his lips against mine, sending my favourite electric current racing directly to my heart, driving it to a near-frantic pace. I could feel the comfortable warmth building in my chest, as he kissed me with a passion that could have set our meadow ablaze.

As he reluctantly drew himself back, leaving me gasping for air, he let out another wistful sigh.

"It's time for you to wake up now, Bella, and return to the land of the living, so to speak." He declared with a wink. "When you do, just remember how much I love you." He flashed those perfect pearl teeth at me, further making the case for eternal slumber.

Nothing could have distracted me from Edward's gaze, but my mind was suddenly sensitive to an unobtrusive, yet rather irritating, buzzing noise.

I was once again aware of the warmth in my chest. This time, however, it had developed from warmth to heat, from comfortable to alarming. My heart had also not slowed appropriately, and was still beating wildly inside me.

The heat was becoming unbearable. It was scorching me from the inside out.

I clutched at my chest, looking back at Edward with panic-stricken eyes, but he was no longer beside me. In fact, the entire meadow had dissolved around me, leaving only darkness in its wake.

That infernal buzzing had remained, but I was far too hysterical over the sudden onset of fiery pain in my chest to be annoyed by it.

Like a shot of pure adrenaline to the heart, I was unexpectedly torn from unconsciousness, instantaneously sitting bolt upright. My eyes were wide with alarm, darting frantically around the unfamiliar room I now found myself in.

The first thing I was struck by was the startling clarity with which I observed my surroundings. The walls were a subdued shade of beige, flanked on the floors and ceilings by calming eggshell whites. I was surprised by my ability to identify imperfections in the paint, the subtly chaotic undertone to the soothing palette. Of course, that incessant buzz was still floating in the air to annoy me, as well, even louder than it had been in my reverie.

As I lay back, my eyes fell to my more immediate location; a nondescript white bed, with rails on either side, giving it the appearance of an oversized crib. I was clearly in a hospital room of some kind, but my lovely dream seemed to have masked exactly how I came to be there.

Before I could pause to assess my situation, I was assaulted once again by the fireball in my chest where my heart should have been. It seemed to be making a last-ditch bid to drive me completely mad with pain.

My spine contorted into an arch in response to the agony, causing my torso to lift off the gurney, suspended by invisible puppet strings. I shook my head from side to side in a futile attempt to escape the pain, allowing me a glimpse of the device next to me; the source of the buzz.

My heart rate was inhuman. The graphical display simply looked like a thick horizontal line, each pulse blending into the next, giving it the sound of a telephone dial tone.

As abruptly as the pain had come, it was suddenly and completely flushed out of me. I took in a deep gasp of air like a diver coming up for air. Beside me, the heart rate monitor displayed one strong farewell beat, and withdrew into a dull hum.

After a brief moment of panic brought on by the knowledge that I had no heartbeat, I suddenly realized what I had known all along, and had been too distracted to make sense of.

Flashbacks of the ballet studio entered my mind, but they were chaotic and unclear, like I was watching them through a fish tank. The bite, the venom, the battle, Edward...

I was like them. I was a _vampire_.

My mind reeled at the significance; Immortality was the only thing I had ever truly wanted, but it now seemed hollow and meaningless, knowing that I wouldn't be able to spend my eternal life in Edward's loving embrace.

I forced the miserable epiphany out of my mind long enough to survey my whereabouts. I was most definitely in a run of the mill hospital ward; the rainbow coloured fabric that hung from the ceiling to partially obscure the perimeter of my bed, along with the overly hygienic aroma of industrial sanitizing products that filled the air were both evidence of that.

The body that lay before me was unfamiliar. I was dressed in a pale blue cotton hospital gown, with white dots hiding the fading colour that resulted from a few hundred wash cycles. My leg didn't appear to be broken, although I didn't have complete confidence in my ability to assess pain anymore. The skin that covered my limbs was a pale ivory, like fresh snow in the moonlight.

I wiggled my toes experimentally, suddenly unsure that the lithe limbs that stretched to the foot of my bed actually belonged to me; I couldn't be sure, but they seemed longer, and shapelier.

My hands revealed a similar transformation, as I looked over them with awed reverence. My fingers were undoubtedly elongated, giving the impression of grace and dexterity, two characteristics that were notoriously foreign to me. These delicate porcelain hands showed no signs of damage as a result of bracing against the clumsy slips of my former life.

My curious musing was interrupted by the faint rush of footsteps coming down the hall, increasing in volume. With almost no deliberation, I made the decision to make myself scarce, rather than risk having to answer questions that were only just now beginning to dawn on me.

In one fluid motion, I pulled the heart monitor leads from my chest, and reached down to remove the IV tubes, only to find that none were attached. I leaped sideways over the rail, and slid underneath the curtain divider into the next enclosure, without so much as a whisper of noise. In the back of my mind, I registered that the entire sequence took me less than a second.

With my eyes pointed vigilantly towards the door through a tiny break in the fabric, I held my breath and body as still as possible. It occurred to me at that moment that breathing was no longer a necessity. _Convenient_, I thought to myself. I waited patiently and listened as two pairs of feet entered the room.

"You have got to be kidding me," said an aged woman's in disbelief. Her years of experience were projected by the quiet authority in her voice, along with an appearance that gave the impression of both comfort and competence.

"Now she's missing?" She moaned in exasperation. "I don't think this Jane Doe situation could be any more bizarre."

The other individual, a blonde man in his late twenties, dressed in hospital scrubs like his counterpart, took one probing step forward towards my empty bed. He might have been attractive, if he were my type. By that, I meant a preference for perfect vampire angels over everyday human guys.

"Uh, so where do you think she went?" He asked in a puzzled tone, bringing his hand up to ruffle his already messy hair. His expression was a mixture of idle curiosity and childish amusement.

"Kevin," she muttered with an obvious edge of annoyance, "I haven't been in here for hours, since I broken three needles trying to get an IV started on her." She squeezed her eyes shut and began to massage the bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb. "You, on the other hand, have been making regular visits. I wonder why that might be..?"

The guy named Kevin wheeled around to face her, and shrugged innocently.

"What can I say; I'm a warm blooded male. Never had a Jane brought in that's as pretty as her, and if I don't look after her, who will, hmm?"

"Yeah, you're the spitting image of chivalry." She replied sarcastically, "Considering that her broken leg was good as new before we could even get a cast on her, something tells me your concern is misplaced. Or did you mend it with wishful thinking and good intentions when I wasn't looking?"

"And what if I did," he asked jokingly, turning once more to lean lazily against the near wall, with a wide grin across his face, "what are you gonna do about it?"

"Dear God," she mumbled to herself, "between this mystery girl and your juvenile shenanigans, I'm about to write this entire night off as one big stress-induced hallucination. I think some worker's comp must be in order here."

The woman continued to gripe under her breath as she turned and left the room.

Kevin tilted his head back towards my empty mattress.

"Real cute," he said to himself, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "real damn cute."

He pushed off the wall and sauntered off after his co-worker.

I let out a sigh of relief after their departure, only then realizing then that I was still not quite alone. Behind me lay a girl no older than I was, with skin as pale as mine, complete with matching lips. Her dark eyelids were tightly shut, and her breathing came in shallow gasps; the heart monitor next to her indicated a slow and frail rhythm.

Reflexively, I drew a breath, without thinking of the consequences. Immediately, the smell of her filled my nostrils and triggered a dry irritation in the back of my throat. The symptoms of the deadly thirst that now beckoned to my senses had been described to me before:

"_Once we taste the blood, or even smell it for that matter, it becomes very hard to keep from feeding."_ Alice had once told me.

_Get a hold of yourself, Bella_, I commanded myself inwardly, _she could have an Edward of her own waiting for her somewhere. You're better than this._

Thankfully, I could detect a cocktail of supplements coursing through her veins, presumably to treat her for whatever illness had brought her here. It was like a pizza with all your least favourite toppings. The scent was tolerable, for now, but the heat in my throat was left undiminished.

I glanced at the chair next to her bed; on it was an amorphous black duffel bag. I decided to take a look inside for anything that might help me get away from here, considering I had nothing but the ratty gown draped over me. I figured she didn't look to be in any condition to make use of anything but oxygen and medicine right now, anyway.

Inside it, I found a few articles of clothing: a white and beige cotton t-shit, declaring her a supporter of the Tucson Sidewinders. _Appropriate_, I thought to myself, _go team!_ There was also a pair comfortable looking black fleece sweatpants, a pair of plain white socks, and a pair of knock-off designer sunglasses that you might find in a department store.

_I'm sure she'd rather give you her clothes than her life_, I reasoned silently, as I dressed myself in my newly acquired wardrobe. I also sheepishly slid my feet into a pair of cheap flip-flops that were lying next to the bed, as if she might awaken any minute and tell me off.

Once clothed, I noticed the bags of red liquid that hung next to her bedside, one of which was draining into her arm. Mercifully, I wasn't able to smell the crimson nectar through its thick plastic cover, but the psychological temptation was overpowering. With some degree of restraint, I took only the untapped container and lowered it into the duffel bag I had just procured.

_Last week, I'd be feeling faint just looking at this, and now I'm packing it for lunch_, I thought ruefully to myself, as I zipped up the satchel and slung it over my shoulder.

I peered cautiously out into the hallway. The digital clock on the far wall read 1:42am.

I drew in a deep breath, having learned the hazards of negligent air control, and set off down the deserted hospital corridors.

_Wow_, I thought to myself, instantly noticing the monumental difference between my graceful movements in this new body and stumbling gait of my old one. I had to make a conscious effort to slow myself down, as I also noted that the hallway around me was passing by faster than it should have.

Moments later, I found myself at a T-junction, with a set of sliding glass doors at the end of one hallway; hopefully this was the exit. Also at the corner of this hallway was a nurse's station, behind which sat Kevin, my self-proclaimed knight in shining armour. He had a pair of signature white cords dangling from either ear, mouthing the chorus of some unknown song silently to himself.

As I came around the corner, he looked up at me, startled, before leaning forward and yanking out his earbuds without much finesse.

"Oh shi―" his breath hitched audibly, "I mean, it's you!"

Aware of my limited air supply, I simply responded with a polite smile and brief nod.

"What's with the disappearing act? Grace has got the security guy sweeping the whole place to find you."

"Um," I realized that this one might be tricky to convey using nods and hand gestures, "I was startled when I woke up, so I went to the washroom to calm down." As the words left my lips, I wasn't entirely sure that I'd actually been the one speaking; the voice I heard was an elegant melody, completely unlike the voice I was accustomed to.

"Oh," he murmured, "I guess that explains the crazy alerts we were getting back here. Still, must be going haywire... those reading were pretty wild." He nodded knowingly to himself.

He might not have been entirely aware of it, but he was still staring at me unashamedly.

His eyes wandered briefly to the bag hung over my shoulder.

"Going somewhere?" he inquired, maybe with a little too much enthusiasm.

"Cigarette?" It came out as a question, even though I didn't really care about his permission. I was once again briefly stunned by the mellifluous quality of my own voice.

"Right, well, we're going to need a name to put on your chart before anything else, unless of course your name is actually Jane Doe." He smiled a broad grin at me, entirely too pleased with his own wit; I got the feeling I wasn't the first person he had used it on.

"My name is..." I paused to weigh my options. I wasn't sure who might be looking for me at the moment, whether James was still alive and trying to finish the job. Even my parents shouldn't be allowed to find me here like this. Swan was out of the question, and Cullen was too obvious to deceive anyone...

"Isabella Newton." I immediately regretted my decision thanks to the uncomfortable mental images that began to conjure themselves. I'm sure if vampires had gag reflexes, mine would have been flaring up. "Just Bella." I added, before he could inquire further.

"And would that be Ms. Just Bella Newton, or Mrs.?" He investigated eagerly, still with a smug grin spread across his face.

_Ugh_, I thought to myself, _fifteen hundred miles from high-school and I still can't get away from these clumsy come-ons_. I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him. _I have to get out of here... Here goes nothing_.

I tilted my head discretely to one side, and put on my very best impression of a dazzling smile.

"Miss." I replied cheerfully, despite the fact that I felt ridiculous. If there had been any blood in my body, I'm sure it would have been flush in my cheeks.

My performance seemed to have the desired effect, though, as the man sitting there behind the counter appeared to have been somewhat dazed by it.

"Uh, right… yea, cool." He stammered breathlessly.

_Maybe I gave Edward a little too much credit_, I mused, _I can see how dazzling people might just happen naturally_.

"Hey, I never noticed when they wheeled you in, because you weren't conscious and all, but those are cool contacts," he remarked, evidently recovered from his fit of speechlessness. "They're freaky, but definitely hot."

I reached up to touch the side of my face. My eyes? I hadn't even considered what they might have looked like now. Were they gold, red, or something completely...?

My gaze lifted up to the security door behind Kevin, the reflective side of a sheet of one-way glass facing me, and it was my turn to be dazed.

The stranger staring back at me, wearing the same shocked expression that I felt on my face, was beautiful. Her stunning features were wreathed in curtains of silky chestnut hair, flowing down past her shoulders. Her exquisite pale skin, complimented perfectly by the seashell pink of her full lips, would have made any actress in Hollywood green with envy. The wide eyes that stared back at me, however, were far more startling than the rest of her flawless features; they were a piercing shade of scarlet.

Overwhelmed by my sudden fit of narcissism, I took in a sudden gulp of air.

The scent was overpowering. The moment I drew in the breath, it went directly to my brain, scrambling all my other thoughts. My throat was filled with the same unquenchable fire that I had only just extinguished in my heart minutes ago. I became acutely aware of the pulsing throb in his neck as he stood up and leaned forward in concern; apparently he wasn't oblivious to the abrupt change in my facial expression.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked, obviously confused by the pained grimace I wore.

_Easy, Bella_, I warned myself, _awkward flirting is not an excuse to rip out someone's throat... Usually._

There was really only one thing to do. I pursed my lips, and pinched my eyes shut before darting around the corner and making a break for the sliding glass doors at a speed I estimated to be an average sprint. Even in my haste, I clearly heard Kevin muttering to himself down the hall.

"Why do all the good looking ones have to be so damn bananas..?"

The doors slid open in front of me, and I found myself bathed in the glow of street lamps, surrounded by the balmy night air of Scottsdale.


	3. Chapter 3 Agony & Ecstasy

**Chapter 3-Agony & Ecstasy**

The relief was nearly instantaneous. Without the sanguine temptation staring me in the face, it was easier to collect my thoughts as I sampled the night air. The recognizable scents of asphalt and creosote filled my senses, bringing with them the calm of familiarity.

Although I should have been accustomed to it by now, the accuracy of my vision was astonishing. I could see miniscule details along the road for miles in every direction, even in the dim artificial light of the city's nightlife.

The monument that now stood in front of me declared the hospital behind me to be Paradise Valley Hospital; it gave me a vague sense of where I was, despite being unsure of where I was going.

I slid on the faux chic sunglasses that I pulled from the bag on my shoulder, and decided to begin walking in the least illuminated direction, hoping to avoid anymore unwanted attention to myself, and more importantly, keep my attention off of others.

As my feet glided instinctively beneath me, I took a moment to weigh my options, and consider what I knew before making any decisions.

First of all, it was clear that my vampire transformation was complete; my sharpened senses and unfamiliar outward appearance were evidence of that. According to what Alice had told me, this meant I had been out of commission for about three days. I could only imagine the emotional distress I was inflicting on my parents right about now. Charlie would probably have the whole state of Washington combing the wilderness for me by now, and Renėe... Well, add this to her routine fits of anxiety, and I was sure she was a complete wreck.

I felt a sudden pang of guilt, knowing that she would likely be back in Phoenix by now, only a few miles away. It hurt to know that it was in my power to soothe her, to ease her suffering, but for both our sakes, I had to get away from civilization for the time being.

Second, Edward had sacrificed himself to protect me. Just the thought of his name caused phantom tears to begin welling in my eyes. It wasn't fair that I had been so fragile then, and suddenly so powerful now. I should have been able to protect him, instead. The thought of his gleaming topaz eyes, violently extinguished before me, caused a fierce ache to develop in the pit of my stomach. I ineffectually wrapped my arms around my torso to alleviate the pain.

Third, I seemed to have made a full recovery from my grievous wounds. There was no evidence of injury anywhere on me, save for two crescent shaped imprints on my right forearm; I recognized these as the imprints of James' teeth, causing me to shudder involuntarily.

This realization forced me to pause for a moment and consider; what were the limits of a vampire's ability to regenerate? If my leg could mend itself, what did that mean for Edward? Was there still hope?

My memory flitted back to a conversation from my former life.

"_How can you kill a vampire?"_ I had asked him.

"_The only way to be sure is to tear him to shreds, and then burn the pieces."_ He had replied.

Had James gotten that far? If not, where was Edward now? Did the Cullens know where to find him, before the hunter could finish his task? Why hadn't they come looking for me? The questions spun in my head like a tornado, making it impossible to focus.

In my carelessness, I collided with some object as I turned the corner onto another street. I had wandered aimlessly into a dingy industrial park of some kind, with rows of nondescript warehouses and low-rise office buildings.

"Ow," growled the object I had run into, which upon closer inspection was a middle aged man with an unkempt beard and a cigarette hanging from his lips, "watch where you're..." His expression shifted from annoyance to grim intrigue.

Over his shoulder, I spotted a taller man leaning against the brick wall of the nearby building, with a cigarette pinched between his fingers. He also displayed a sudden interest in my arrival.

"Sorry." I muttered under my breath, not raising my chin to face him directly.

"Naw, it's cool babe, we were just here waiting for ya." Replied the bearded man coarsely, as he took a long pull of his cigarette, moving his eyes across me.

My mind was drawn back to Port Angeles, and my encounter with Lonnie. _How do these things keep happening to me?_ I thought, with frustration. _Oh, right. Trouble magnet, I forgot_.

"Why don't you lose the shades, so we can see those pretty eyes?" He reached out and roughly pulled the sunglasses off of my face, tossing them over his shoulder. His face twitched slightly in reaction to my ruby red gaze, but neither man showed any intention of backing off.

_These guys are scum, Bella, nobody's going to miss them_, I rationalized to myself, _If it's got to happen, why not these lowlifes?_ Even without drawing a breath, the dry ache in my throat began creeping back into my awareness, reminding me of my new physiological obligations.

My lips curled back, revealing the rows of teeth that I knew from experience to be razor sharp. Instinctively, a hushed snarl floated past my lips as my knees lowered into a subtly aggressive stance.

The tall man showed obvious signs of hesitation. His body language indicated that he was questioning the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Hey, maybe we should―" he started as he flicked his cigarette but into the street.

"Shut it. Just because you can't deal with the feisty ones doesn't mean you're gonna ruin my night," warned the bearded man dismissively. "Don't be like that, sweetheart. We just wanna party with ya." The edge in his voice betrayed the same feeling of wariness voiced by his comrade.

I felt my hands clench into fists at my sides. The burn in my throat raged hotter than ever, creating its own voice in the back of my head. _Do it_, it cried, _DO IT!_ I was trying desperately to avoid justifying what I knew was about to happen.

I shut my eyes, and continued my internal struggle. _STOP IT!_ I yelled back at the malicious voice. _I won't do that!_ The devil inside taunted me with images of its plans for the two vile men in front of me.

An image of Carlisle appeared in my mind. His compassionate eyes looked back at me from under my eyelids. _What am I supposed to do?_ I asked apologetically. _This is unbearable! _ A gentle smile dawned on his lips that didn't match the mournful understanding in his eyes. Somehow, I knew that the real Carlisle would understand, and support me no matter what happened next.

I had the unconditional trust of my new family, and it was time I earned it.

I dropped down to my knees, and swung the bag that hung from my shoulder to the ground before me. Without bothering to unzip it, I tore the canvas apart and removed the container within. In one smooth motion, I tore the valve from the base of the packet, and let the red nectar flow past my lips.

The sensation was surreal. As agonizing as the thirst had been, that was how satisfying the relief was from the blood that now trickled past my tongue. The violent fantasies that I had been harbouring were instantly banished from my thoughts in the wake of the bliss.

"Ugh, that is just... sick." I heard one of the men say; I had briefly forgotten that they were even still there.

"Man, I knew this chick was strung out on something. Let's get up outta here," replied the other.

I heard their brisk footsteps trailing off in the direction I had come from, but I couldn't be bothered to open my eyes while I was enjoying this new favourite food so much.

Happily, I drained the entire bag, squeezing out every last drop like a tube of toothpaste. I discarded the remnants on the sidewalk beneath me, but did not stand up for quite awhile, content to sit and bask in the satisfaction.

When I finally shook myself free from the euphoria, I concluded that I needed to escape the city limits as soon as possible; I was now out of get-out-of-bloodbath free cards, and couldn't take any more chances with the lives of strangers, innocent or not.

I turned myself north, and took off as swiftly as my legs would carry me. I was not prepared for just how swift that would actually be. The rushing wind whipped past my ears, causing my hair to flutter wildly behind me. The feeling was exhilarating.

I vaulted nimbly over parked cars, and sprinted horizontally against nearby walls in a fluid imitation of parkour. I giggled musically to myself, a little giddy over my newfound agility. I only wished that a certain someone were here to share the experience with me...

My feet continued to soar beneath me tirelessly as they carried me far away from the general population.

* * *

I ran all through the night across the barren expanse of northern Arizona. It wasn't until I reached the vast wilderness of a dense forest that I was once again reminded of my dark passenger by the discomfort in my throat. I thought I must be somewhere in Utah by now, but having stayed true to my word, I was too far from civilization to be certain.

As good a place as any for my inaugural hunt, I closed my eyes and listened to the symphony of nature all around me.

The sounds that danced around me were diverse and unique. In crystal clarity, I could hear the sound of a river gently lapping at its banks, the rustling of branches in the wind, and the abundant wildlife that made their homes in this forest.

Through the din of ambient noise, I detected a faint thudding rhythm; a strong heartbeat. I couldn't yet catch the scent of the heart's owner, so I halted my breathing in vigilance.

Carefully, I tracked the source of the sound to the edge of a nearby river; on the opposite bank stood a black bear, lapping peacefully at the running water. I drew a breath, and caught the scent of my prey. It certainly did not smell as tantalizing as my pre-packaged snack pack had been, but I was willing to keep an open mind.

_Alright, Bella, showtime._

I suddenly became aware that I had no idea what I was doing. I must have missed the Discovery channel special on how to kill a bear with your hands.

No sooner had I come to this realization, than the scent of my quarry began to creep its way into every facet of my senses. My instincts took over as my body lowered itself into an uncomfortably familiar and hostile position. A deep, feral growl, emanating from deep inside my chest, escaped through my bared teeth.

My demon was in the driver seat now, and I was left to ride shotgun and watch helplessly.

The sequence of events that followed was both horrifying and elegant in its cold efficiency.

From my hiding place, I closed the fifty yard gap to my prey in one explosive leap. The force of the impact staggered the surprised animal, forcing it to the ground. As we fell, my arms wrapped themselves around the bear's sturdy neck, and my legs around its torso. Before we reached the forest floor, my teeth were already buried deep in its flesh, releasing the nourishing liquid within. My victim struggled feebly for only a moment before its vitality faded.

I gorged myself on the bear's blood for several minutes, until my thirst was sated, before I began to regain control. The taste was potent, but not nearly as pleasant as my last meal.

"I have it on good authority that you taste better when you're irritated," I grinned darkly at the lifeless animal at my feet, "so maybe I'll draw it out a bit next time."

I paused at the river to wash off my face; if the blood that I had carelessly splattered on my borrowed shirt was any indication, I must have looked like a toddler on spaghetti night.

_So, what now_, I asked myself.

Do I go to Charlie, in order to call off the manhunt that surely has the Cullens pegged as prime suspects in my kidnapping? I wasn't sure he could handle seeing me like this, with only shadows of his former daughter evident in my appearance. I also wasn't sure I could handle seeing him either, after the questionable self-control I displayed in my various encounters over the past day, regardless of the love I have for him.

What about the Culllens' home? It was unlikely that they would be there, with combined law enforcement of every county neighbouring Forks on the lookout for them. I longed desperately to see their faces again; it seemed like an eternity since we had all been together last, at the impromptu baseball diamond. I could probably play in the next game. _That'd show Charlie_, I scoffed.

As I sat quietly on the banks of the river, contemplating my options, a glint of sunlight pierced the forest canopy and reflected off of something metallic in the stream. Even through the distortion of the water's surface, I could make out the shape of a time-worn fishing lure.

I reached out to pull the object from the riverbed. As soon as my fingers made contact with it, my vision spun out of control as the forest around me dissolved away.

I found myself standing in the kitchen of an unfamiliar house. The table in the corner was covered in a variety of fishing supplies. Sitting at that table was an elderly man I didn't recognize, loading the various objects into an ancient tackle box. With sudden panic, I feared for the man's life for being in such close proximity to me, until it occurred to me that he didn't have a scent.

The room around me wheeled out of focus, once again disorienting me. I was sitting next to the same man in the cab of an old pickup truck, not unlike mine. He was wearing chest-high waders, and was humming joyfully in tune with the antique radio that was planted in the dashboard.

The illusion jolted forward once more. The elderly man was standing in a familiar river, still oblivious to my existence; I guessed we were somewhere upstream from where I had been. He was fighting vigorously against a particularly stubborn fish, when the line snapped, causing him to fall backwards onto the river bank.

"Gurd damn sonbitch!" He yelled hoarsely after the thieving fish, splashing his fist in the water to vent his frustration.

The vision faded, and I found myself once again sitting by the river, next to the leftovers of my breakfast.

I blinked, still bewildered by the jarring experience, and completely unsure of how or why it even took place.

_As if I didn't have enough to think about without having to worry about magical fishing lures too_, I thought dismally, pouting my lower lip and sighing in a fit of self-pity.

Though I was physically unfazed by the event, my mind was far too exhausted to take on any more questions. I decided to leave this mystery unsolved; all roads were leading to Forks, and it was time to be on my way.


	4. Chapter 4 Home Sweet Home

**Chapter 4-Home Sweet Home**

It took me two days to traverse the wilderness of the mid-west. By slipping in and out of the forested areas every few hours to investigate highway markers, I travelled alongside the I-84 to the outskirts of Portland before heading north into familiar territory.

Not moments after crossing over onto the Olympic peninsula did the rain begin to drizzle down through the forest's ceiling; despite all the chaos that had swallowed up my life, some things will never change. It was a comforting thought, and it gave me hope that I might be able to salvage some of my personal wreckage once things got under control.

The smell of mossy undergrowth and rain-soaked earth filled my lungs as I darted silently through the woods. The recognizable scents brought tranquility to my racing thoughts; I still had no clear plan for my next step, or what I hoped to find here.

Before long, as if drawn there by my subconscious, I found myself crouching in the shadows of the tree line bordering Charlie's backyard, _my_ yard. By the dimming daylight that filtered through the blanketing clouds, I surmised that it was late afternoon. There were lights on inside the house, and the aged police cruiser sat idle in the driveway; the scent of engine exhaust told me that Charlie had arrived not long ago.

From inside the house, I could make out the sound of my father's voice, thick with desperation and grief, somewhere on the first floor. Carefully, I slid out from my camouflage to approach the kitchen window. I had to see his face; I needed some sort of anchor to my humanity. Days of racing through the wilderness, relying solely on my bestial instincts, was beginning to take its toll on my sanity.

As I drifted across the lawn to the side of the house, I caught the scent of burnt popcorn on the air; _he's nothing if not reliable_, I smiled lightly to myself. I decided that this was a good time to cut off the breathing.

Pressing my back to the wooden siding beneath the kitchen window, I listened attentively to the conversation within.

"…far east are we talking here? Sequim? Hal, that isn't good enough." My father was speaking with someone on the phone.

"I know you guys are doing your best, but this is my kid we're talking about here." The uncharacteristic cracks in his voice were full of sorrow. "Yeah, no. No, I'll try back tomorrow morning. Thanks." The sound of the phone being forcefully returned to its resting place signalled the end of the conversation.

Gradually, I began to lift my head up to the window to peer inside.

Charlie was seated at the modest kitchen table. His fingers were tangled in his curly dark hair, his forehead resting in the palms of his hands. Staring down into the tiled floor, his breath was coming in shallow, ragged gasps.

"Aw, Bells." He whimpered softly to himself.

Fate was a cruel mistress to put me so close to him; as far as emotions were concerned, I might as well have been on the other side of the globe. I could feel phantom tears welling behind my eyes for Charlie's suffering, made worse by the knot in my stomach from the knowledge that I could do nothing to alleviate it.

In a startling display of emotion that was quite unlike Charlie, he stood up brusquely and hurled a ceramic dish that had been resting on the nearby table into the wall, scattering charred kernels of popcorn and shards of broken bowl across the kitchen.

The dark passenger chuckled quietly in the recesses of my imagination at the sound of Charlie's spiking heartbeat. My demon had been unhappily placated by our adherence to this new 'vegetarian' diet, and was beginning to grow restless.

As it became clear that this self-destructive voyeurism was doing more harm than good, I made up my mind to put some distance between myself and Charlie for the time being. I gently placed my fingertips on the glass in farewell, and turned to leave.

Just as I did, my heightened senses picked up something on the wind. It was a pungent odour that made my nose wrinkle in revulsion, both damp and musky. I took a step back towards the tree line in the direction of the scent, when I distinguished the sound of careful movement through the soft pitter-patter of the falling raindrops.

Prudence won out, as I resolved to play it safe; whatever it was, I didn't want to lose control of my faculties anywhere near my very fragile father. I looped back around and dashed north along the highway to my next destination.

* * *

Night had set in by the time I reached the discrete pathway that branched off the highway; the rain had not relented, but rather became a downpour. My body gave a tiny shiver that had nothing to do with the cold.

The elegant three story house nestled in the primordial forest lay dark and lifeless. It had been foolish to hope that anyone would be here to greet me, but it was a pleasant fantasy that had kept me going up to this point.

I sampled the air; the torrential rain made it hard to smell much of anything, but there didn't seem to be any indication that the Cullens' home had been occupied since I last saw it. After a moment to soothe my apprehension and steady myself, I silently approached the deserted mansion.

Crossing the threshold into the living room did nothing to boost my spirits; the signature pale-on-pale colour schemes appeared washed out and dreary in the evening gloom. The liveliness of the home had all but vanished in the absence of Alice's wind-chime voice, Emmett's booming laughter, and Edward's dazzling smile.

In retrospect, I wasn't sure what I had hoped to find by coming here, but now that I had arrived, _nothing_ seemed to have been a fairly obvious possibility. I strolled casually over and collapsed on to the plush leather sofa in the center of the room, slinging my forearm across my face to cover my eyes in the process.

_Do I just lie here and wait for them?_ I pondered the possibilities; for all I knew, the Cullens thought I was dead, and had moved to the other side of the world to avoid further scrutiny. According to Jacob Black, it took them more than seventy years to make it back here last time. I wasn't in any danger of dying of old age, but even I had my limits.

I sat up and gazed wistfully through the glass wall into the tenebrous forest outside. A sharp crack of thunder and flicker of lightning illuminated the forest, and seemed to hasten the rainfall with even greater urgency.

Lost in my thoughts, I began to wander aimlessly around the room. I tried to visualize how things should have been, how they were meant to be at this moment. Emmett was slouched in the armchair, watching a ball game of some kind. Rosalie and Esme were quietly playing chess by the window. Jasper held a book in his hand, but his attention was more focused on Alice, who lay across the couch comfortably, with her head resting in his lap. And Edward…

I made my way over to the piano and sat down next to where Edward should have been, his arm gently coiled around my waist. I had taken lessons as a kid, but like so many of my childhood endeavours inspired by Renėe, my interest in it had eventually fizzled. I tried to recall the lullaby that Edward had composed for me; like so many of my human memories, it had been obscured by my relatively dull senses at the time.

With a forlorn sigh, I lowered my fingers to the keys, producing a dissonant chord. As I did, my vision was overcome with an oddly familiar sensation. The room swirled around me in a blur of colour before rearranging itself once again. I blinked; the room had suddenly been illuminated by the various light fixtures throughout it. More importantly, gathered in the center of the room were eight vampires, and me.

Every member of the Cullen family was huddled in discussion at the center of the living room, along with Laurent, one of the nomad vampires we had encountered at the baseball clearing. The sight of my former self wrapped in Edward's protective embrace was enough to envelop my entire body in warmth. There he stood, my guardian angel, more clear and vivid than I could have ever imagined before my transformation.

Just as the participants were unaware of me, I too was oblivious to the discussion happening before me; I was content to simply stand and marvel at Edward's magnificence. It wasn't until Alice and Jasper unexpectedly withdrew to the second floor that my concentration shifted to the conversation.

"_You can't bring him down. I've never seen anything like him in my three hundred years. He's absolutely lethal. That's why I joined his coven."_ Laurent had been describing the threat that James now posed to the Cullens, all because of me. He fixed his curious gaze upon the apparition representing me. _"Are you sure it's worth it?"_

The phantom Edward let loose a furious howl that would have terrified anyone who hadn't been irrevocably in love with him. It certainly seemed to have that effect on Laurent.

"_I'm afraid you're going to have to make a choice."_ Carlisle declared sternly to Laurent.

"_I'm intrigued by the life you've created here. But I won't get in the middle of this. I bear none of you any enmity, but I won't go up against James. I think I will head north_― _to that clan in Denali." _Laurent was carefully surveying the faces around him, particularly my own. _"Don't underestimate James. He's got a brilliant mind and unparalleled senses. He's every bit as comfortable in the human world as you seem to be, and he won't come at you head on… I'm sorry for what's been unleashed here. Truly sorry."_

The illusion flickered and faded, and I was once again left standing alone in the darkness of the abandoned house.

My mind began to process what I had seen, as pieces of the puzzle fell into place. The piano, like the lure before it, had triggered a vision of past events tied to it. It seemed as though my immortality had manifested a gift not unlike those of Edward, Jasper and Alice. The phrase _if these walls could talk_ came to mind.

_Now who's 'exceptionally unobservant',_ I snickered to myself, remembering how Edward had once teased me about my analytical skills.

In addition to the awareness of my potentially useful new talent, the vision had provided me with another valuable piece of insight; the vampires of the coven in Denali were close with the Cullens. It was possible, if not likely, that they knew how to contact Carlisle in an emergency, which this most definitely was.

At the very least, I could find Laurent there. If he knew anything about where to find James or Victoria, I would make sure he told me. I may have been above taking innocent human lives, but when it came to vengeance against those who threatened my loved ones, there would be no limits to what I was capable of.

The dark passenger gave a soft laugh in approval.

My path was set before me, and all that was left was to prepare for the journey north.

I started in Carlisle's office; I didn't know exactly how to find the Denali vampires, and I needed some cash to make it there. _Do vampires keep little black books?_ Somehow, I couldn't picture Carlisle using a Rolodex, but it couldn't hurt to look.

In the top drawer of his antique mahogany work desk, I found a thick leather-bound tome that gave the impression of being much older than the desk itself. Upon opening it, I was met with a brief vision of Carlisle writing diligently in it; it seemed to be a chronicle of the many centuries that Carlisle had been alive. _It's bad enough I'm rifling through his belongings looking for money to steal, I don't need to be snooping through his journal too,_ I thought ruefully, as I placed the book back in its place.

The second drawer revealed just what I was after; it was full of $10,000 bricks. I guessed that home security was not a high priority for a family of vampires. I timidly removed one sleeve of bills and closed the drawer, vowing to make it up to Carlisle as soon as I could.

I could find nothing resembling an address book, so I'd need to improvise upon arrival.

A brief appraisal of my weather-beaten and blood stained clothing reminded me that I also needed to get changed before I left.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered Alice's walk-in closet, but I was fairly sure it would be frightening; it did not disappoint. Easily three times larger than the adjoining 'bedroom', the closet contained more clothing than anyone in my immediate family had ever owned… combined. The first garment bag I opened, which contained an olive green strapless silk evening gown, confirmed my fears; this could take a while.

After a painstaking search effort, I managed to pull together a relatively practical wardrobe: an off-white cashmere sweater, stonewashed designer jeans, a pair of comfortable running shoes that I was certain were strictly for high school gym, and a pair of absurdly expensive sunglasses to hide my unnerving eye colour. After wrapping myself in a long beige trench coat for the vicious thunderstorm that continued outside, I pushed open the window in Alice's room, and hurried off into the night.


	5. Chapter 5 Frostbite

**Chapter 5-Frostbite**

By the time I reached the outskirts of Port Angeles, the thunderstorm had retreated into the clouds, leaving the city under a moonlit blanket of fog. As I approached Fairchild International Airport, I steeled my nerves for the internal struggle that I would need to face in order to reach my destination.

The terminal was nearly deserted at this hour. Grateful for any bit of luck to reduce temptation, I let out a tiny sigh of relief, and approached the ticket counter.

"Yes, ma'am, how can I help you tonight?" inquired the young blonde woman behind the counter.

"I'd like the soonest flight to Anchorage, please." I replied curtly, removing several hundred dollar bills from my coat pocket.

She spent several moments studying the monitor in front of her, fingers tapping briskly at the keyboard. "Mm, well, there's a red eye―" the corners of my lips pulled into a subtle grin, "―to Anchorage, with a layover in Seattle, boarding in, gosh, only 10 minutes! How does that sound?"

"Perfect." I flashed a dazzling white smile at her as I handed over the cash.

As I sat on the plane, patiently waiting for take-off, I reached into the pocket of the coat on the seat next to me and pulled out a gold necklace I had picked up from Alice's vanity; I thought it might be a good time to refine my new talent, in order to better understand and control it. After all, I didn't need to see a detailed history of the remote control every time I wanted to watch TV.

The results were sporadic. I had very little trouble summoning images of Alice busying herself in front of the mirror every morning, but suppressing them took a little more finesse.

The flight to Seattle was brief. Shortly before landing on the tarmac, I carried myself to the lavatory for a few deep breaths, and a quick moment to compose myself. Sea-Tac was sure to be bustling, even at this late hour, and I needed every ounce of willpower at my disposal to keep my dark urges in check.

As expected, the terminals were uncomfortably busy. I fought back a groan as I looked up at the departure schedule; my connecting flight to Anchorage wasn't scheduled to begin boarding for another 45 minutes. I made my way over to a gaudy airport coffee shop and took a seat at the counter, preparing myself for the battle of wills I was about to wage with my passenger.

The passage of time was excruciatingly slow. The devil inside me took great pleasure in my discomfort, as he stoked the flames that smouldered in my throat. Without the scent to provoke me, the temptation was manageable, but not without difficulty.

While waiting for the announcement of my flight, as I fidgeted impatiently with my hair and sunglasses, a few of the bolder male sky-travellers tried to engage me in conversation. When the only response they received was a mock sip of my coffee ― a prop for appearances' sake ― in a show of indifference, each one abandoned their pursuit. Some even muttered unflattering remarks under their breath; I couldn't help but wear an impish smirk as they plodded off.

After what seemed like hours, the shrill voice on the intercom rang out to rescue me.

"Attention travellers, Alaska Airlines flight seventy eight to Anchorage is now boarding. Please proceed to gate 12," declared the blaring voice, and not a moment too soon. The dark passenger was brooding at the lack of bloodshed thus far.

Once I was on the plane, I settled comfortably in to my decadent first-class seat. It may have been a little extravagant, but it was a lesson I had learned from Edward:

"_I decided as long as I was going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly._"

His silky voice occupied my entire imagination as I gazed pensively out the window.

* * *

By the time the plane touched down in Anchorage a few hours later, I had made a great deal of progress by practicing with Alice's locket. More often than not, I could hold on to it comfortably without seeing any illusions, until I concentrated on doing so. My gift seemed to be like a muscle; I just needed to exercise it.

Stepping out into the windy Alaskan night was a fascinating sensation. My clothes were not well suited for an arctic expedition, but the wind felt warm to my skin, like a tropical breeze.

There was only one taxi idling in the snow outside the terminal. With no baggage to speak of, at least not of the physical variety, I sauntered over to the car and slipped into the back seat.

"Where to, miss?" inquired the grizzled cab driver.

"I need you to take me to Healy." I informed him. I'd done some research at the tourism kiosk before leaving Sea-Tac; Healy was the main population hub of Denali, so it made sense to start there. The town was only a third the size of Forks, so if anyone there had seen any pale-skinned, golden eyed supermodels, I was certain they'd remember it.

"Are you kidding? Do I look like a wilderness tour guide?" he turned to me incredulously, presumably to make sure I wasn't wearing a straitjacket.

I counted out five $100 bills, and passed them forward into his hand, before sitting back to stare out the window, as though that settled the matter; it did.

* * *

We arrived in Healy just before 4am, and the streets were appropriately deserted. I thanked the driver once more; he still wore a look of puzzlement and suspicion as he turned the cab around and drove off into the darkness.

Unsure of where to begin my search, I wandered over in the direction of the only visible light source. It flickered outside a modest building in the center of town, illuminating a sign out front that read 'Lakeside Lodge Tavern & Inn'. _As good a place as any_, I thought.

Before I even had an opportunity to try the handle on the door out front, I caught the scent of almonds and cherries on the frozen night air. It was a very pleasant fragrance, but completely out of place in a town like this. I let my curiosity get the better of me, and turned to trace the path of the aroma.

My pursuit led me around to the adjoining motel on the far side of the tavern. I came to a stop in front of room 4, where the trail was strongest. There were no lights on inside, but through a narrow divide in the curtains, I could see the shape of someone sleeping on the bed.

_Here goes nothing_, I told myself as I raised my hand to the glass, and furrowed my brow in concentration.

What I saw at first would have turned my cheeks tomato red only a week ago. The room was still dark, but the bed in the center of the room now had two occupants, their limbs entwined into a writhing pretzel. _Yikes_. Even through the darkness, my sharp eyes permitted me to see the features of the woman in the room: She had tangles of strawberry blonde hair cascading past her shoulders and beautiful ivory skin. As she turned her head towards the ceiling, I caught a brief glimpse of the intense passion burning in her tawny eyes. _Bingo_.

I skipped through the next several minutes of… interaction. Eventually, the woman dressed herself to leave, while the man snored loudly, obviously exhausted from the encounter. I watched as she strode gracefully out of the room before taking off in an inhuman sprint, into the barren tundra to the east.

It proved to be much trickier to follow her scent when she had moved with such speed. As I was beginning to lose faith in my ability to follow her trail, I spotted a light in the distance, several miles to the northeast.

The light belonged to a large cottage on the edge of a boreal forest. It resembled a log cabin, but was far more luxurious, with two large stories and a covered porch that wrapped around the entire perimeter.

I approached the house cautiously; I didn't know how I would be received, a ruby eyed stranger knocking on the door in the middle of the night. From inside, I could hear the sounds of conversation and laughter. If Laurent was here, it sounded as though he was fitting in quite well in his new environment.

Noiselessly, I crept up onto the darkened porch, and peered through the window to the room within.

The interior of the cabin was every bit as extravagant as the outer façade. A massive fireplace housed a crackling hearth on the far wall, which bathed the room in a warm flickering glow. The walls were lined with the heads of various animals, accented by a wide polar bear fur rug in the center of the room. _How sloppy to leave their food wrappers lying about_, I thought morbidly.

Sprawled across a long white leather sofa was the strawberry blonde woman I had seen in my vision. Seated across from her, in an ancient looking armchair, was the black-haired Laurent.

The two of them were conversing rapidly, but I didn't care enough to register what they were saying. The moment my gaze fell on Laurent, my mind was transported back to memories of the baseball clearing where I had first met him. Flanked on either side by James and Victoria, he was guilty by association in my eyes. He was going to tell me where to find them; I wasn't going to give him another option.

I felt my dark passenger stir impatiently, positioning itself for a ring-side seat, eagerly hoping to get tagged in.

After taking several long moments to steady myself, I grasped the door handle and burst into the room.

Laurent, who had been facing my direction, wore an expression of surprise, followed by puzzlement. The woman did not even turn to face me.

"Welcome home, Kate." she called lazily over her shoulder; evidently, she was expecting a different guest.

"I don't believe it… Bella, is that―"

I didn't give him the chance to finish his sentence. My dark devil momentarily seized control, forcing me to leap gracefully across the room, knocking both Laurent and his armchair to the ground. I landed on top of him, pinning him to the ground beneath me.

"Where are they?" I snarled ferociously at him. I was as surprised by my own voice as I had been in the hospital.

"Bella, I do not―"

I hurled my elbow downwards into his cheekbone, producing a sharp crack like a bottle rocket.

"Where are James and Victoria?!" My voice seethed with fury. To my own horror, I felt barely able to restrain myself from losing control. I wanted to _hurt_ him, like his allies had hurt my loved ones.

His eyes were locked on to mine; they were wide with terror as I felt myself slipping away, helpless to stop the demon within.

As the bloodlust began to reach the breaking point, I felt a hand clasp over my shoulder. Instinctively, I stood and turned in one fluid motion, ready to turn my frenzy on my assailant.

I froze. The fire that raged throughout my body was quenched in an instant, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over my head. A pair of bright topaz eyes stared into mine, filled with a myriad of emotions.

"Edward…"

* * *

A/N: I'll be writing the next five chapters from Edward's PoV. If you liked what you read so far, please review & recommend to others. As always, criticism is welcome!

I'm also working on another story, which is AU/OOC BxE, so if you are enjoying this, keep an eye out for _A Heart Noir_.


	6. Chapter 6 Deliverance

A/N: Here's where the story follows Edward. Don't forget to R&R!

**Book 2 Edward**

**Chapter 6-Deliverance**

The flight to Phoenix was an exercise in perseverance. My thoughts were riddled with anxiety as I mulled through the contingencies in my mind. We had lost the tracker, James, somewhere in the forests north of Sappho. It distressed me to no end, the knowledge that we had no inkling of his plan of attack, or how much he knew concerning ours.

I took solace in the fact that I would soon be with her, and see her smile once more: my Bella.

Despite being a vampire, and having no need to fidget, I found myself unable to sit still throughout the flight, constantly shifting in my seat and gripping the armrests with inappropriate force. Carlisle noticed my impatience.

"Son, please try to relax," he implored me, staring into me with his compassionate eyes, "we've taken all the necessary precautions to deal with this situation. We'll face this threat as we always have; as a family." _She'll be alright, Edward. We won't let any harm come to her._ He amended in his thoughts.

I didn't respond, choosing instead to gaze vacantly out the window at the sandy desert that passed below us. He was only partially right; my family had worked diligently to ensure Bella's well-being, but I, on the other hand, seemed to have done everything in my power to put her in harm's way. From the moment I had chosen to invade her life for my own selfish desires, this outcome was the only real possibility.

There was no denying it now; I was a monster, designed by nature to decimate everything I touched. It made no sense for her to love me, a soulless destroyer of lives. No ordinary person could harbour anything but contempt for something so fiendish.

But Bella was anything but ordinary, and so much more than extraordinary. Her wonderful spirit never ceased to amaze, to 'dazzle' me as she had once phrased it. I hoped that she would, or could forgive me, but such hope was made up of the same selfishness that had begun this vicious cycle.

Demons like me don't deserve to be near angels like Bella.

Upon touching down at Sky Harbor International, I was the first one to step off the plane, anxious to reach the terminal. I knew the only thing that could drive away this terrible guilt was to feel the warmth of Bella's body in my arms.

From a distance, I could see Alice waiting for Carlisle, Emmett and myself, but she wore a pained look of agitation. She was standing alone. I pushed frantically through the crowd to reach her, nervously scanning her thoughts as I approached.

"Edward, I… I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened―" she sputtered, looking to be on the verge of tears, though I knew it to be impossible, "it's Bella, she… Oh god, Edward, I'm sorry!" _She slipped away from us! I don't know what she's thinking, going off alone… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!_

I felt my face contort into a grimace, and a dull pain emerge in my stomach, as if someone had swung a sledgehammer into my gut.

"Jasper's outside renting a car, we're going to head to― wait!" I was already gone, darting through the crowded airport so rapidly that nobody had been able to see who or what had bumped into them. I had seen the address in her thoughts; I couldn't restrain myself for the sake of discretion. Bella was my life, and nothing as mundane as the secrecy of my kind was going to keep me from her.

As I maneuvered through to the glass exit onto the street, I pulled a bus route map from a nearby kiosk to familiarize myself with the strange new city, and sprinted off towards my destiny.

The sun was low in the afternoon sky when I reached the nondescript brick ballet studio at the corner of Fifty-eighth and Cactus; it meant that my cursed skin was glittering like a diamond, but with movement so fast, I could easily have been mistaken for a mirage. This was a desert, after all.

I found the front door of the building to be unlocked, not that it would have slowed me down, as I pushed forward into the darkened building.

My first footstep into the lobby of the dance studio was met with a blood curdling shriek. The impact of it filled my legs with lead. I knew it could only belong to one person, and the thought of her in pain stunned me like a blow to the head.

I forced myself forward to push open the entrance to the dance floor, only to once again be thunderstruck by what I saw.

Crouched with his back to me in the center of the large mirrored room was James, his body obscuring my view of the lifeless figure slumped beneath him.

Without hesitation, I hurled myself towards him with such force that the shockwaves of the impact shook the foundation of the building around us. The violent collision sent him tumbling into the corner of the room, but my priority was Bella, who lay wounded and gasping beneath me.

I lifted her gingerly in my arms, and carried her quickly towards a door on the far side of the room, as far away from the danger as I could manage.

"Bella, can you hear me? Bella?!" I cried hysterically, trying desperately to revive her as we glided across the floor. To my immense relief, she awakened to lift her eyes to my face, and gave me a weak smile.

"Bella, please, please say something… let me know I wasn't too late." I implored her. I had no sense of the extent of her injuries, and desperately needed reassurance that I had not failed her again.

We crossed the threshold into the adjacent room, which turned out to be a darkened washroom. I set her down gently on the tiled floor, and gazed intently into her delicate eyes.

"Ow." She muttered quietly. It wasn't much, but it eased some of my immediate concerns for her safety. I could clearly see from the deep bruising and awkward shape of her right leg that James has broken her leg below the knee. I felt a surge of anger flow through my chest.

"Stay here, Bella," I assured her quietly, "He won't hurt you anymore. I won't let him… You'll be safe here, I promise. I'll make you safe."

I could feel the fury bubbling to the surface of my conscious; the vile wretch that lay in wait outside the door behind me was responsible for doing this to my Bella. My vision began flooding with a red haze, and nothing would stop me from ending his despicable life.

Despite the bloodlust that now gripped my senses, I felt the overwhelming need to stay by her side, to comfort her and ease her suffering; I knew it was my duty to see to her safety above all else, and in order to be sure of that, James had to die.

Stepping out into the gloom of the windowless dance hall, I focused on the hunter who now lumbered forth from the shadows.

"All alone, I see. How poetic. Incredibly stupid, but brave nonetheless." He mocked in his silky, sinister voice. "I'm almost disappointed; I thought that this might actually be a challenge, the way you and your coven reacted in the clearing, but you've made it too easy for me to draw you out one at a time." He flashed a maniacal grin at me, slowly circling the room.

I released a deep growl from my core, barely able to contain my frenzy.

He chuckled menacingly under his breath as he stretched his arms and legs behind his back, like an athlete preparing for a track meet.

"Once I'm done with you, I think I'll relax with a light snack."

The images that appeared in his mind sent me far over the edge. I lunged forward with the intent of making them the last thoughts he would ever have.

The combat moved at a fevered pace. He was every bit as deadly as I had been led to believe, and I struggled to keep pace with his powerful and agile movements. As we danced our violent ballet across the floor, my mind detected the approaching thoughts of my family members: Carlisle, Emmett. Jasper and Alice were close by, and I only needed to keep him occupied until the cavalry arrived.

In one nimble movement, I caught hold of his wrist and darted behind his back, putting pressure on his shoulder blade. In one furious jerk, I pulled upwards on the wrist, causing him to howl in pain as arm snapped with the sound of a steel girder being sheared in two.

James spun around to face me, his other hand flying up to meet my throat, lifting my entire body off the ground. With a startling display of strength, he hurled me to the wooden floor, leaving me lying in a shallow crater of broken floorboards.

I regained my senses only briefly, to see the heel of his boot swinging down towards me like an iron pendulum. I felt a momentary rush of pain as his foot made contact with my jaw, and then…

Darkness.

Book 2 Edward

**Chapter 6-Deliverance**

The flight to Phoenix was an exercise in perseverance. My thoughts were riddled with anxiety as I mulled through the contingencies in my mind. We had lost the tracker, James, somewhere in the forests north of Sappho. It distressed me to no end, the knowledge that we had no inkling of his plan of attack, or how much he knew concerning ours.

I took solace in the fact that I would soon be with her, and see her smile once more: my Bella.

Despite being a vampire, and having no need to fidget, I found myself unable to sit still throughout the flight, constantly shifting in my seat and gripping the armrests with inappropriate force. Carlisle noticed my impatience.

"Son, please try to relax," he implored me, staring into me with his compassionate eyes, "we've taken all the necessary precautions to deal with this situation. We'll face this threat as we always have; as a family." _She'll be alright, Edward. We won't let any harm come to her._ He amended in his thoughts.

I didn't respond, choosing instead to gaze vacantly out the window at the sandy desert that passed below us. He was only partially right; my family had worked diligently to ensure Bella's well-being, but I, on the other hand, seemed to have done everything in my power to put her in harm's way. From the moment I had chosen to invade her life for my own selfish desires, this outcome was the only real possibility.

There was no denying it now; I was a monster, designed by nature to decimate everything I touched. It made no sense for her to love me, a soulless destroyer of lives. No ordinary person could harbour anything but contempt for something so fiendish.

But Bella was anything but ordinary, and so much more than extraordinary. Her wonderful spirit never ceased to amaze, to 'dazzle' me as she had once phrased it. I hoped that she would, or could forgive me, but such hope was made up of the same selfishness that had begun this vicious cycle.

Demons like me don't deserve to be near angels like Bella.

Upon touching down at Sky Harbor International, I was the first one to step off the plane, anxious to reach the terminal. I knew the only thing that could drive away this terrible guilt was to feel the warmth of Bella's body in my arms.

From a distance, I could see Alice waiting for Carlisle, Emmett and myself, but she wore a pained look of agitation. She was standing alone. I pushed frantically through the crowd to reach her, nervously scanning her thoughts as I approached.

"Edward, I… I'm so sorry, I don't know what happened―" she sputtered, looking to be on the verge of tears, though I knew it to be impossible, "it's Bella, she… Oh god, Edward, I'm sorry!" _She slipped away from us! I don't know what she's thinking, going off alone… I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!_

I felt my face contort into a grimace, and a dull pain emerge in my stomach, as if someone had swung a sledgehammer into my gut.

"Jasper's outside renting a car, we're going to head to― wait!" I was already gone, darting through the crowded airport so rapidly that nobody had been able to see who or what had bumped into them. I had seen the address in her thoughts; I couldn't restrain myself for the sake of discretion. Bella was my life, and nothing as mundane as the secrecy of my kind was going to keep me from her.

As I maneuvered through to the glass exit onto the street, I pulled a bus route map from a nearby kiosk to familiarize myself with the strange new city, and sprinted off towards my destiny.

The sun was low in the afternoon sky when I reached the nondescript brick ballet studio at the corner of Fifty-eighth and Cactus; it meant that my cursed skin was glittering like a diamond, but with movement so fast, I could easily have been mistaken for a mirage. This was a desert, after all.

I found the front door of the building to be unlocked, not that it would have slowed me down, as I pushed forward into the darkened building.

My first footstep into the lobby of the dance studio was met with a blood curdling shriek. The impact of it filled my legs with lead. I knew it could only belong to one person, and the thought of her in pain stunned me like a blow to the head.

I forced myself forward to push open the entrance to the dance floor, only to once again be thunderstruck by what I saw.

Crouched with his back to me in the center of the large mirrored room was James, his body obscuring my view of the lifeless figure slumped beneath him.

Without hesitation, I hurled myself towards him with such force that the shockwaves of the impact shook the foundation of the building around us. The violent collision sent him tumbling into the corner of the room, but my priority was Bella, who lay wounded and gasping beneath me.

I lifted her gingerly in my arms, and carried her quickly towards a door on the far side of the room, as far away from the danger as I could manage.

"Bella, can you hear me? Bella?!" I cried hysterically, trying desperately to revive her as we glided across the floor. To my immense relief, she awakened to lift her eyes to my face, and gave me a weak smile.

"Bella, please, please say something… let me know I wasn't too late." I implored her. I had no sense of the extent of her injuries, and desperately needed reassurance that I had not failed her again.

We crossed the threshold into the adjacent room, which turned out to be a darkened washroom. I set her down gently on the tiled floor, and gazed intently into her delicate eyes.

"Ow." She muttered quietly. It wasn't much, but it eased some of my immediate concerns for her safety. I could clearly see from the deep bruising and awkward shape of her right leg that James has broken her leg below the knee. I felt a surge of anger flow through my chest.

"Stay here, Bella," I assured her quietly, "He won't hurt you anymore. I won't let him… You'll be safe here, I promise. I'll make you safe."

I could feel the fury bubbling to the surface of my conscious; the vile wretch that lay in wait outside the door behind me was responsible for doing this to my Bella. My vision began flooding with a red haze, and nothing would stop me from ending his despicable life.

Despite the bloodlust that now gripped my senses, I felt the overwhelming need to stay by her side, to comfort her and ease her suffering; I knew it was my duty to see to her safety above all else, and in order to be sure of that, James had to die.

Stepping out into the gloom of the windowless dance hall, I focused on the hunter who now lumbered forth from the shadows.

"All alone, I see. How poetic. Incredibly stupid, but brave nonetheless." He mocked in his silky, sinister voice. "I'm almost disappointed; I thought that this might actually be a challenge, the way you and your coven reacted in the clearing, but you've made it too easy for me to draw you out one at a time." He flashed a maniacal grin at me, slowly circling the room.

I released a deep growl from my core, barely able to contain my frenzy.

He chuckled menacingly under his breath as he stretched his arms and legs behind his back, like an athlete preparing for a track meet.

"Once I'm done with you, I think I'll relax with a light snack."

The images that appeared in his mind sent me far over the edge. I lunged forward with the intent of making them the last thoughts he would ever have.

The combat moved at a fevered pace. He was every bit as deadly as I had been led to believe, and I struggled to keep pace with his powerful and agile movements. As we danced our violent ballet across the floor, my mind detected the approaching thoughts of my family members: Carlisle, Emmett. Jasper and Alice were close by, and I only needed to keep him occupied until the cavalry arrived.

In one nimble movement, I caught hold of his wrist and darted behind his back, putting pressure on his shoulder blade. In one furious jerk, I pulled upwards on the wrist, causing him to howl in pain as arm snapped with the sound of a steel girder being sheared in two.

James spun around to face me, his other hand flying up to meet my throat, lifting my entire body off the ground. With a startling display of strength, he hurled me to the wooden floor, leaving me lying in a shallow crater of broken floorboards.

I regained my senses only briefly, to see the heel of his boot swinging down towards me like an iron pendulum. I felt a momentary rush of pain as his foot made contact with my jaw, and then…

Darkness.


	7. Chapter 7 Hysteria

**Chapter 7-Hysteria**

The hallway was impossibly dark, and despite the usual temperature of my body, it felt unnaturally cold. Its walls were a contrast of rich wooden panelling and a deep crimson hue. Although I was accustomed to being able to see great distances in the darkness, it stretched infinitely in either direction.

"Hello?" I called curiously, unsure of where I was or how I had arrived. The sound of my voice echoed into the unknown.

I heard a voice in reply, barely more than a whisper, drifting down the hallway behind me.

"_I didn't like it. Not seeing you. It makes me anxious, too._" The soft voice danced past my ears, setting the hairs on the back of my neck on end.

"Bella?!" My voice cracked in alarm. I took an instinctive step in the direction the sound had come from, gravitating towards her voice. Without hesitation, I took off like a bullet down the hallway towards the source; I wouldn't be apart from her for one more agonizing moment.

As I sprinted through the darkness, making no noticeable progress, her voice found me again, marginally louder than it had been before.

"_I told you, it doesn't matter what you are. It's too late._"

"Bella, please don't say that. Please…" I murmured under my breath.

I could feel my feet dragging as I ran, as if I was trying to move through quicksand. On either side of me, there was a flickering light illuminating the walls of the endless hallway. Without slowing, I turned my head to find the source.

A short distance behind me, the hallway was being engulfed in fire, spreading rapidly towards me. I could feel the heat of the flames licking at my back as the inferno gained slowly on me.

I forced my legs to move, summoning every ounce of strength I possessed to escape the conflagration that threatened to consume me.

Through the dark haze before me, I could make out the shape of a plain wooden door at the end of the hallway. Even over the violent crackling of the firestorm, Bella's voice rang out once more.

"_I will always love you, no matter what happens now._"

With all that remained of my strength, I hurled myself into the door, shattering it into thousands of tiny splinters.

I found myself standing in the meadow where I often came for comfort. This was where we had first declared our love for one another. The clearing was dark; it was night time. The lush grass and wildflowers that had once populated the meadow appeared dried up and dead. Huddled in the center of the clearing, sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees and her head hung towards her lap, was Bella.

She was crying softly to herself. Every sob was another dagger in my chest, causing me to wince with pain. I reached out, wanting desperately to comfort her, but my legs were planted firmly to the ground, and wouldn't respond to my needs.

Behind her, I could make out the form of a dark figure at the edge of the tree line. I watched as he casually strolled forward to meet us, showing all the urgency of a man walking in the park.

He stopped just over Bella's shoulder when I realized that the phantom man was _me_.

Our eyes locked, and I studied his expression. He wore a mask of indifference, but I could detect an edge of malice flickering in his bright golden eyes. His mouth curved into an innocently crooked grin.

Bella had stopped crying once the dark Edward had arrived next to her. She stood up, her eyelids closed as if she were sleepwalking. The doppelganger continued to stare back at me.

I opened my mouth to speak, to warn Bella of the menace that loomed behind her, but no sound came out. I watched in horror as he slowly lowered his lips to her neck.

The flow of blood trickled down her chest, as the icy water in my veins froze my body into a cold statue. I was helpless to prevent this, I had failed her.

When the predator lifted his head from his prey, the face that stared back at me had transformed. James now glared into me, his crimson eyes filled with a mixture of triumph and threat. He smiled a sinister grin, mocking me in my defeat.

Bella's eyelids fluttered open; her gaze bored into me like a drill. Her ruby red eyes glowed ominously in the darkness.

I awoke.

It was an uncomfortable sensation, awaking from a nightmare, and not one I was accustomed to after ninety years of sleeplessness. The disorienting transition from fantasy to reality was not something I was eager to repeat.

Blinking in the sudden flood of light around me, I sat up to examine my surroundings. I was in a wide and elegant living area, a familiar pale-on-pale colour scheme coordinating the room.

"Edward, you're awake! How do you feel?" Carlisle was hovering nearby, looking over me appraisingly.

"Like I just had my face kicked in…" I reached up to touch my jaw; there wasn't any pain, but the vivid memory had caused me some discomfort. "Where are we? Where's Bella?"

My vision flickered across the room, looking for some sign of her. Alice was sitting cross legged on the floor across the room, wearing a blank expression with unfocused eyes. Jasper was leaning against the nearby wall, his arms folded across his chest, studying my expression.

"We're in Alamosa; we brought you here to recover." Carlisle replied. We had spent one of our high-school cycles in Alamosa, Colorado, back in the early 1980's. I recognized the layout of the room from the five years we had lived here.

I pressed the heel of my palm into my eye, still trying to shake loose the confusion from my unpleasant dream. "Where is she?" I asked again.

"Edward…" _She wasn't with you when we arrived at the ballet studio; you were alone when we found you. I'm so sorry, Edward._ The tone of his thoughts was calming, but riddled with hidden pain. I made no secret of my agony, letting loose a howl that shook the walls around us.

I felt a blanket of calm begin to wrap around me. I turned to Jasper and let out a vicious snarl.

"Don't you dare," I growled at him, "I don't want your anaesthesia. I deserve every second of this." He flinched at the violent edge in my voice, and my emotions. I lay back down under the crushing weight of the guilt.

My mind was swimming in the pain. She was gone, and it was my fault. My own selfish desires cost Bella her life, and in turn, would surely cost me my own. I couldn't possibly live with this agony.

"I'm not giving up yet, Edward." Alice's voice trilled across the room. Her eyes were now focused, and I recognized that she had been searching her visions moments ago.

"I can't quite see her, but it's not like it would be if she was… well, it's more like she's, I dunno, lost?" I scanned her thoughts for a clearer explanation. At first, I thought she was purposely trying to torment me; all I could register from her was a blank white nothingness. It wasn't until the image began to flicker and shift chaotically that I understood what she had meant.

"It's as if she's missing." Alice explained once more, "Like she's alive, but… has no future. I can't describe it properly." She pouted her lip in frustration and dismay.

I turned to Carlisle; he still gazed at me with compassion and sadness.

"How long has it been?" I inquired impatiently.

"Three days."

I stood up and immediately headed for the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Jasper called out in alarm.

"Back to Phoenix. I can't sit here idly while there's still hope, no matter how fleeting."

"Wait for Emmett to return; he's out hunting. We'll go back together." Carlisle beckoned to me.

I shook my head slowly from side to side, and looked back over my shoulder at my family.

"There's no rest for the wicked, and right now, I'm as wretched as they come." I whispered grimly. "Call me on my cell when you arrive in Phoenix, but I won't wait for anything."

I hurried off into the chilly Colorado air, to the garage at the end of the long driveway. Inside, I found the black Firebird that had belonged to me when we last lived here. The keys were still in the ignition, and I wasted no time pulling out onto the winding mountain road that led down to the interstate.

I drove as if the inferno from my dream was following closely behind me, and in some ways, it was.

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